Using Video and Live Streaming for Evangelism
EVANGELISM ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario
In January 2020, prior to Covid19 exploding into a worldwide pandemic, we ran an article focused on Web-Based Evangelism. We emphasized the importance for local churches to have an online presence, highlighting ways to make ourselves visible in a web-focused world. We had no idea how timely the article would be. Within a couple of months, much of the world was under lockdown conditions to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. The extent to which things closed differed from region to region, but things changed everywhere – including our worship assemblies.
For many congregations, in-person assemblies were suspended. Some shifted to parking lot services and others began online meetings. Some churches had already been streaming services online. Whatever the case, there was a steep learning curve for many elders and preachers to find viable solutions to an urgent problem. It was not as easy as saying, “Lights, camera, action!” Congregations had to make several decisions, such as: whether to live stream (watch only) or video conference (interaction); what software or platform to use (Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Zoom, Hangouts, WebEx, etc.), and what peripherals were needed (microphone, camera, lighting, etc.). And all this had to happen very quickly.
Our aim is not to consider the merits of one platform over another, nor to discuss the technical aspects of setting up and effectively broadcasting a live stream or video conference. Those are worthwhile topics to discuss, but they are not within the purview of this article. Let us focus on using video and live streaming as an evangelistic tool, whether streaming capability was set up to enable virtual teaching during the pandemic or it was already in place.
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). When Jesus gave this commandment, there were not a myriad of ways to accomplish it. One could walk, ride on an animal or in a chariot, or board a ship for those far off destinations. To convey the message, one could speak directly to an audience, send a messenger, or write a letter. That was it. Yet by using these rudimentary travel and communication methods, Paul was able to say about 30 years after the command was given, the gospel had been “…preached to every creature under heaven…” (Colossians 1:23). We live in an age where travel options abound, and communication alternatives are plentiful. The desired outcome is always in-person contact – we want people to obey the gospel of Christ and unite with people of like precious faith in a local church. But how we get to that point, how contact is made, and how teaching is done can take a variety of paths. There has been a huge shift in how people pursue information in the modern digital age; more and more people want to watch and listen rather than read. Thus, it is incumbent upon us to produce and provide content that will attract and engage people. Fortunately, there are several possibilities we can pursue for our video and live stream content.
Livestream of services. Some churches are streaming their Bible classes and worship services. Streaming allows people to see what our services are like before attending with us, which may take away some of the apprehension or anxiety which comes with going somewhere new. Of course, though our services can be accessed online, we want to encourage people to come and be with us in person. Whatever platform is used for streaming, always record and save the video, which can be trimmed and archived into topical playlists for people to access in the future. Properly naming the live stream (and the resulting video) is also important. We want to use a title that will catch attention. Using “Church Livestream” is not going to attract viewers. What is the sermon title? What is the topic being addressed? Is there a thought-provoking question or statement which will lead people to watch?
Devotional or Bible Readings. Rather than (or in addition to) streaming our worship assemblies, we can produce short weekly (or daily, if you are able) video studies or Bible readings. A Bible reading (whether live or pre-recorded) is a great way to encourage folks to listen to a portion of God’s word each day. With short studies or devotionals, we can address Bible basics and provide brief responses to simple questions or topics. How long should these readings or devotionals be? There is no right answers. Obviously, we would expect them to be much shorter than a stream of our worship assembly. I have seen brethren produce things like a “3-minute word from the Word” or perhaps a chapter per day reading through a book of the Bible. Whatever you decide, consistency is key. If you have committed to a weekly study, be certain to have content ready to share each week. If it has been set up as a 3-minute study each day, then maintain uniformity in the approximate length of the videos. We want to produce content the viewing audience can rely upon, certainly for truthfulness, but also for frequency and duration.
Interactive Chat or Study. If enough people are tuning in, it can be profitable to host a live and interactive Bible chat or study. Depending on the platform, audience interaction may come from texts in the comments area of a live stream (i.e. YouTube or Facebook) or full audio and video participation (i.e. Zoom, WebEx, etc.). Bible topics and texts can be predetermined, which helps your audience know where you are going beforehand. Or you can select a topic based on participant suggestions. It would be best to have some brethren commit to being involved in the study each time to ensure participation. It can be disheartening to host an event and have no one (or next to no one) show up. Not only that, but low (or no) attendance can affect an interactive online study’s long-term viability as visitors may choose to find a more active study.
Q & A Session. This is like the interactive study mentioned above, but the direction of the study would be solely driven by participant questions. Topics to be discussed could be live and on the spot or submitted beforehand via email, text, voice mail, etc.. When dealing with on the spot questions, a word of caution – if you do not know the answer, admit it, promise to find the answer for next time, and move on. It is always best to say, “I don’t know, but I will find out,” than to muddle our way through something only to find out afterward we taught something in error.
TV or Radio Programs. Does the congregation currently have a TV or radio broadcast? These should be made accessible on the church’s website and social media accounts. Perhaps the church had a TV or radio program in the past but no longer. Are there videos or audio files available? If so, upload them.
Why do we need to use video and live streaming as a tool for evangelism? First, understand that most people who look for a church today begin their search online. Generally, before they darken the door, they want to know something about us. They want to know more than where we worship. They want to know what we believe and how we conduct our services. Video and live stream enable those who are searching for a church to know more about us and to interact with us before they show up for the first time. And for many, without this digital interaction, they will pass us by for some other religious group with a strong online presence. We need to use evangelistic tools that work for our community, whether it be newspaper ads, direct mailing, door-to-door, fair booths, etc.. People of all ages are searching the web for content, including religious content. Will we seize the opportunity to reach souls by providing the digital content for which they are looking?
Finally, it is important to spread the word, so people are aware of available content. We can use paid advertising on various web platforms or use Google AdWords. There are times when boosting a post might be a good idea. However, the best means of advertising is to have church members share the content on their social media accounts. Shares. Likes. Comments. not only are these free advertising, but the videos will reach the intended target audience (friends, family, and co-workers of the church members). Sharing content is an easy way for every member of the local church who has a social media presence to use it for the purpose of saving souls.
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October 2020 | GROW magazine
